Most Expensive Vintage Watches

The journey of watches much like life has taken many forms, from a mechanical pendant watch to a flat glass pocket watch and now a wrist watch but what hasn’t changed is it’s purpose. It’s purpose of building character and telling the time.

1. Patek Philippe Henry Graves Super complication $ 11,000,000

This 74mm 18 karat gold timepiece is one of the most complicated mechanical pockets watches ever created. Some of the functions it features include time of sunset and sunrise, perpetual calendar, days of the month and week, stars chart, 30 minute and 12 hour recorder, minute repeating clock-watch with Westminster chimes, Grande and petite sonnerie and split seconds chronograph. This double-dialed and double-open-faced watch also features dual power reserve for striking and going trains.

2. The Breguet Grande Marie-Antoinette No. 160 $ 10,000,000

Built as a reproduction after the original one was stolen this watch has a minute repeater, jumping hour, equation of time, reserve indicator, perpetual calendar and bimetallic thermometer. This self-winding watch has 823 unique pieces and a double parachute anti-shock device. The box, built from the royal oak tree of Versailles, called ‘The Queen’ costs $100,000.

3. The Patek Caliber 89 - $ 6,000,000

Four 18 karat watches made using different metals; white gold, yellow gold, rose gold and platinum. Weighing at 1.1 kg with 1728 components and 24 hands each the watch comes with 57 complications.With 89mm in diameter and a thickness of 41mm the watch features a century, decade and year display, moon phase display, leap year indicator, time of sunrise, power reserve, winding crown position indicator and a sun hand.

4. Breguet & Fils, Paris, No.2667 Precision $ 4,600,000

This 18 karat watch made out of yellow gold has a couple of movements based on the chronometer principle. Created by Breguet in 1814, to confirm his theory that two oscillating bodies in close proximity will influence each other, the watch has a great historical significance and showcases the brilliant workmanship possessed by him.

5. Patek Philippe 1943 Watch Ref 1527 $ 5,500,000

6. Louis Moinet Meteoris $ 4,700,000

7. Patek Philippe 1939 Platinum World Time $ 4,000,000

8. Blancpain Le Brassus Tourbillon Carrousel $ 3,800,000

9. Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega 4 $ 2,700,000

10. Jaeger Lecoultre Hybris Mechanica Grande Sonnerie $ 2,500,000

Not only are these rare watches a symbol of status but they reflect highly on the workmanship that existed in their era and create a bridge between then and now.